Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of GERMAN Application No. 101 52 85.5 filed on Oct. 23, 2001.
The invention relates to a shaft clutch for the alternate positive connection of one of two motor vehicle transmission members to a shaft.
Such a shaft clutch is already known from DE 198 31 981 A1. This shaft clutch is designed as a dog clutch and has a shift sleeve with shift dogs. The shift sleeve is displaceable axially in two directions with respect to its longitudinal axis or axis of rotation. In the respective axial end position, that is to say in the engaged state, the said shift dogs of the shift sleeve make a rotationally fixed connection between the shaft and a motor vehicle transmission member. For this purpose, the motor vehicle transmission member has a shift toothing matching the shift dogs. In order to prevent a gear jump, both the shift dogs and the shift toothing are lined. This lining has the effect that, when torque is transmitted from the shaft to the motor vehicle transmission member, the circumferential force results in an axial force component which pulls the shift sleeve onto the shift toothing or holds the shift sleeve in this position. During this torque transmission, the circumferential support of the shift dogs takes place, on the one hand, on a guide toothing of the shift-sleeve carrier and, on the other hand, on the shift toothing of the motor vehicle transmission member to be coupled.
The object of the invention is to provide an axially short shaft clutch for the alternate positive connection of two motor vehicle transmission members.
The invention relates to a shaft clutch which may be designed as a dog clutch. In order to save axial construction space, the two end regions of the dog clutch are utilized for the transmission of torque from the shaft to the motor vehicle transmission member to be coupled. The middle region between the two end regions has solely the function of axial fixing during torque transmission and can be made correspondingly short axially.
One advantage of the invention is that the entire shaft clutch has an axially short build. This is achieved in that the two end regions of the dog clutch are utilized for the transmission of torque from the shaft to the motor vehicle transmission member to be coupled. By contrast, a middle region between the two end regions has the function of axial fixing during torque transmission and can be made correspondingly short axially. In particular, the axially middle region may be shorter than the two end regions. Furthermore, the axially middle region may advantageously have the function of the axial guidance of the shift sleeve in the non-torque transmitting state or in the neutral position.
According to a further advantage of the invention, a lining of the end regions of the shift dogs and of the two shift toothings which is complicated in manufacturing terms is not necessary. This is accompanied by cost benefits.
In this context, a refinement of the shift dogs is particularly cost-effective to manufacture and in which the flanks of the shift dogs are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft clutch.
An advantageous development of the invention permits relatively reliable axial securing of the shaft clutch in the engaged state, a relatively easy shift of the shaft clutch back into the neutral position nevertheless being made possible.
Further advantages of the invention may be gathered from the further subclaims, the description and the drawing.